Letter to the Editor: Glenn Burrows

I've just read the story on the possibility of California Chrome returning back to racing following a season at stud (Bill Finley, TDN, Jan. 31, 2017). In case it was of any relevance to you, an aptly named colt called Daybreak Lover was a Group 1 winner here in Australia of the time honored Stradbroke H. as a 3-year-old in 1984. He went to stud and covered 60 mares, which was probably a full book back in 1985. He then returned to racing and again won the G1 Stradbroke H., this time as a 5-year-old. He had five starts in all in his comeback for a Group 1 win, a Group 3 win, a Group 1 second and a Group 2 second.

Raffindale (GB) won twice in Great Britain at five furlongs and was also stakes placed. He was shipped down to Australia for a stud career that had the local breeders less than inspired. He covered around 15 mares and then the decision was made to put him back into work. He was a magnificent creature, with a long flowing mane, who would high ball it out in front and generally keep going. He resumed racing in South Australia in 1977 and raced right through that year and breeding season. His form was so good that his stud career was put on hold. It began with a nice win in Adelaide and he was then thrown in at the deep end by taking on the Group 1-grade sprinter Hartbalm in the G2 Spring S. (1200m), where he was a gallant second. Two weeks later he was victorious in a Group 3 race in Adelaide over 1600m, defeating a very smart field. Five days hence, the stallion was off to Melbourne to take on the champion of the time in Desirable. For this test, he had to drop back to the 1400m of the Group 2 (Group 1 ever since) Caulfield Marlboro Cup and defeated favored Desirable by 1 1/2 lengths as a 15-1 shot.

Raffindale was trucked up to Sydney for the time-honored G1 Epsom H. (1600m) at Randwick a week and a half later and this proved to be his biggest moment of glory. Against a high-quality field, he burned across to the front (which is usually a recipe for disaster over the tough Randwick mile) and opened up a substantial lead that the opposition couldn't close in on. The margin was four lengths and he smashed the then track record, a time which took another 28 years to be lowered.

A further three weeks later, he was lining up in Australasia's showcase WFA event, the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley over 2050m, a distance unfamiliar to him and facing the best horses around at the time. He ended up a close runner-up to the baldy faced Family of Man, himself was a winner of 21 races including eight at Group 1 level, the margin being a half-length.

The gallant grey was back to 1600m in the G1 George Adams S. at Flemington two weeks later, but was run down late to finish second to a French-bred stallion (imported horses racing in Australia were a rarity then) called Galway Bay who was a Group 2 winner at Royal Ascot prior to shipping to Australia and was a Group 1 winner himself at his prior start at Flemington.

That was his final start and he was much more popular when he went back to stud the next season. He covered large to full books for many years thereafter and sired 8 stakes winner, including the wonderful Group 1 winner Street Ruffian who–like dad–used to make all from the front.

–Glenn Burrows, Willow Park Stud